Delaware Political Weekly…Occasionally

Hey, we’re in the strangest of times.  But the political calendar doesn’t grind to a halt…even if elements of campaigns do, or at least morph into something else altogether. 

I’ve got lots of political news, though, so let’s get started.

1.  Door-to-door is out. Alternatives are in.  I think I may have taken part in one of the last door-to door sessions, this one with Kyle Evans Gay, right before the exponential increase in coronavirus activity.  She’s a great candidate, and has been working very hard.  I think she will defeat Cathy Cloutier (more on her a little later), but, for the time-being, her campaign will do it without door-to-door canvassing.  Here’s what she, and other great candidates like Jess Scarane, are doing: Virtual phone-banking.  No, it’s not as effective as face-to-face contact, but the best campaigns are doing a lot more voter outreach than those of entrenched incumbents. Especially entrenched incumbents who don’t even live in their own districts.  Incumbents like Dave McBride and…Cathy Cloutier.

2.  Hockessin resident Cathy Cloutier files for reelection in district she doesn’t live in.  Didja know she remarried? At least, according to her own legislative website?  She and her spouse Edward live in Hockessin.  One of her children still resides in the house she owns, but doesn’t live in, in Heatherbrooke.  I have been critical of this absentee representation scam for as long as I’ve blogged here. Whether it was Tom Sharp, Bill Oberle, Dave McBride, Melanie George Smith, and now, Cathy Cloutier, I’ve challenged the very idea of legislators representing districts they don’t live in.  Cloutier isn’t only a pretend Democrat, she’s a pretend resident of the district she’s supposed to represent.

3.  An R Primary In Bruce Ennis’ District.  Terrance Lee Baker and Craig ‘Crabman’ Pugh have both filed to challenge the winner of a likely D primary. A D primary which may, or may not, include the incumbent.  Pugh is a commercial crabber who is a former assistant Leipsic fire chief and is the mayor of Leipsic. Baker is a Vietnam Veterans of America Service officer.  Yes, Bruce Ennis has filed for reelection. But we already know of two prospective D challengers.  The race in this district is gonna be real interesting.  Gotta say, though, it should still be a strong lean-D district.

4.  It’s Official: Morrison vs. Jaques in RD 27. A D primary between incumbent Earl Jaques and Leftward Delaware/WFP-trained candidate Eric Morrison. 

5.  A Three-Way in Wilmington Council District 1.  Coby Owens has filed, joining incumbent Linda Gray and Nnamdi Chukwuocha’s brother Albert Mills in the race.

6. Todd Ruckle to Challenge John Walsh in SD 9.  Ruckle is a realtor who is probably better known for this story of he and his daughter having been mauled by pit bulls.   An R is still quite a longshot in this overwhelmingly D district.

7. Other Filings.  Sen. David Sokola (D-8th SD); Jordan Nally (Candidate-R 4th RD);  NCC County Councilman Tim Sheldon (D-CD 9).

What’d I miss, and whaddayathink?